Happily Ever After
by shanejayell
Summary: Tambi reflects on the past on a important day
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Strangers in Paradise, they all belong to Terry Moore. This story contains spoilers for the last issues of SiP, as well as simplified summaries of certain plot lines.

Happily Ever After

Mary Beth Baker, more commonly known as Tambi, had never really expected a happy ending for herself. People in her line of work lived fast and died young, rarely leaving a identifiable corpse. Especially with everything that had happened in her life.

Working for someone like Darcy Parker had shown her the worst of people, and gave her a very good idea how low one could sink. Even after she finally broke free, shooting Darcy and helping her half-sister take over then disassemble the crime lord's empire, she had jumped into a kind of government service, throwing herself and a hand picked team of operatives into death defying situations.

What changed all of that was one man, really. David Qin, who had been Darcy's younger brother, had become deathly ill. At first Tambi was only interested in carrying on the connection between her family and the Parkers, and had paid for his treatment out of a kind of family obligation. But in the end she grew to care for him, and his dying brought her back into the lives of her sister, her sister's lover and one other person...

"You nervous?" Katchoo Choovanski asked, the blonde artist reaching out to remove Tambi's sunglasses from the top of her head. Katchoo and Tambi were different in many ways, but the blonde hair and the shape of her face marked her as kin.

"Of course I'm nervous," Tambi growled back, taking the sunglasses back and sliding them back into place, "I can't believe I agreed to this."

"Sorry," Francine Peters-Choovanski said sheepishly, the slightly taller black haired woman standing nearby, "I think it was Katchoo and I getting married in Hawaii that sparked this whole thing off."

"Sure, I'll just blame you too," Tambi muttered, but her heart wasn't really in it.

Katchoo and Francine had been through their own kinds of hell, so she could relate. While Tambi had been a bodyguard and enforcer, Katchoo had at first been a prostitute, then a lover of the despicable Darcy. Breaking free after a time, she eventually found her way back to a old friend of hers, Francine, unknowingly dragging unfinished business into her friend's life.

Tambi threw a look at Francine, taking in the busy, good natured woman who seemed to fit so well at Katchoo's side. Francine had survived a near miss shooting, an abduction by Tambi herself, and all the strains a secretive, almost paranoid Katchoo could put on their relationship, but they seemed to come together again and again. While Tambi wouldn't say something so hokey as they were made for each other, they DID seem to give the other what they most needed.

"Do I look all right?" Tambi found herself asking, faintly surprised at the sudden nervousness she was feeling. She had killed in cold blood, survived fire fights and face down the head of Internal Revenue, yet she was almost frightened now.

Francine smiled as she reached out to straighten Tambi's collar, "You look fine." She looked over at Katchoo, "I'd better check on our other friend. Keep her from bolting, 'kay?"

"Will do," Katchoo threw a joking salute.

"Very funny," Tambi growled.

Katchoo just smirked, "You know, she's right. You DO sound just like a teddy bear."

Tambi rolled her eyes, "Don't you start."

Dropping her voice a bit Katchoo asked, "You really all right with all this?"

"Damned if I know," Tambi admitted, "I never planned any of this."

"Falling in love is never planned," Katchoo smiled at her wryly as she continued, "believe me, I know."

"Heh," Tambi smiled slightly in acknowledgment. "After David dropped all those bombshells in his will I went looking for her because I needed her for something, but as we worked together..." she trailed off.

"Something happened between you," Katchoo acknowledged, "Francine and I saw it when we met after your fight with the IRS."

Tambi gave a smile that could almost be called goofy, "Yeah, and after that we just found ourselves staying together."

Katchoo gave Tambi a thoughtful gaze, "So, do you love her? Because once you go through with this, it's gonna hurt."

Tambi sighed, running a hand through her long blonde hair. "Yeah, I do," she admitted, "though I still don't see what she sees in me."

"You and Francine, you both have that problem," Katchoo sighed. She gave Tambi a gentle punch on the shoulder, "You're strong, capable and smart. Not to mention good looking. What's not to like?"

"She's different," Tambi insisted.

"And you and I both know how many surgeries went into that."

Tambi glared at Katchoo, her expression honestly angry as she said, "That's not what I meant!" Getting her temper reigned in she continued, "She's so kind and warm. Even with all the shit in her life, she still loves and cares for people so deeply."

Katchoo nodded slightly, "Sorry." After a moment she continued, "You and I, we're both wounded and scarred..."

"Yeah," Tambi agreed softly.

"She knows what she's getting into," Katchoo reassured her, "she's like Francine in that way. Some part of her needs you, scars and all."

Tambi thought about it, nodding to herself just slightly.

"Now," Katchoo reached up to straighten her sister's outfit carefully, "you need to get your jacket on."

"It's time?" Tambi's eyes widened slightly.

"Just about," Katchoo held out the black cloth with a slight smile.

Tambi shrugged into the black coat, matching the pants and tie she wore. Settling it into place she looked quite handsome, not manly but more gently butch. "All right," she wiped slightly sweaty palms with a napkin Katchoo provided, "I'm ready."

"Then let's go," Katchoo said as they headed out of the room in the back of the church.

The center area was bustling with people, friends of the past few years all gathered in one place. Men and women whispered quietly as they walked by, offering smiles of encouragement and gestures of support. Up by the altar a older priest smiled in greeting as they took their positions, Katchoo slightly behind Tambi as the best man.

"You can do it," Cherry mouthed silently from her seat, giving Tambi a thumbs up.

"How are you holding up?" the fatherly man asked kindly, his eyes twinkling in a old fashioned way.

"I'm fine," Tambi responded, smiling back a bit reluctantly.

The music started up, and Tambi stiffened visibly. "No running," Katchoo murmured, taking her arm and squeezing gently.

Tambi gave her a scowl, "I was not going to run."

"Sure..." Katchoo smiled.

The two of them emerged from another part of the church, Francine following slightly behind the bride as they advanced up the center aisle. She was a vision in white, despite her protests that she couldn't wear that color, the wedding dress carefully cut to be just a bit more sexy than usual. Tambi gulped as she felt herself start to sweat for a reason other than nervousness, a smile tugging at her lips as her future bride reached her side.

"Hi," Casey Femur smiled up at Tambi, her eyes practically glowing with joy.

"About time you got here," Tambi murmured.

Casey winked, "I've always liked to be fashionably late."

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the joining of Casey Femur and Mary Beth Baker in holy matrimony..." the priest began.

"I OBJECT!" a voice rang out as a balding man burst in to the church, looking around him wildly.

"Freddie?!" all four women up front burst out.

Freddie Femur strode down the aisle, a brown trench coat flapping around him as he advanced on the wedding group. "I'm gonna kill him," Katchoo hissed.

"Get in line," Tambi scowled.

"What do you want?" Francine asked, looking at Freddie with annoyance.

"Nice to see you too," Freddie said wryly. He looked at Casey, "Not even sending me a invitation? I'm hurt."

"It got lost in the mail," Casey said with a pained look.

"Get out of this church before I fold you in half," Tambi said to him flatly.

"Actually, I came to deliver a gift," Freddie said a bit nervously. He handed a set of papers to Casey, "Never got the chance to, earlier."

"Eh?" Casey read them, "The divorce decree?"

"You're free and clear." Freddie smirked, "Can't have a past marriage get in the way of your relationship."

"I've been sleeping with a married woman?" Tambi blinked.

"I though we got that handled years ago..." Casey stammered.

Somewhat more seriously Freddie met their eyes, "I wish you two the best, okay?"

"Thanks," Tambi smiled wryly.

"Why don't you sit by my friends over there," Casey waved him over to a seat.

"Sure it's a good idea to put him by Rusty the showgirl?" Katchoo whispered.

"At least she'll keep Freddie distracted."

The rest of the ceremony was mostly a blur, and it took a poke in the side for Tambi to register that the priest had said, "You may now kiss the bride."

Flipping her own veil back Casey threw her arms around Tambi and kissed her, nearly tackling her to the ground with the force of her presence.

"Enthusiastic, isn't she?" Rusty murmured.

Freddie shook his head, "You have no idea."

With that Tambi and Casey ran laughing down the aisle, stopping outside only to give Casey a moment to toss her bouquet of flowers. "Try to bean Freddie with it," Tambi whispered.

"Heh," Casey chuckled and toss the flowers over her shoulder. "So where to now?" she asked as they climbed into Tambi's jeep.

"Honeymoon in Vegas," Tambi grinned as she pulled her sunglasses out of a pocket, "then wherever you want."

"I think I'm going to enjoy this," Casey sighed as she cuddled close to Tambi.

"Me too," Tambi hugged her as they sped off. 'Sometimes,' she mused, 'people like me do get happy endings.'

End

Notes: Inspired by sequences from the final SIP issue. My apologies for all the back story summaries in the fic, but I wanted to make sure non-fans wouldn't be totally lost. As I wrote most of this from memory there may be some errors here and there, sorry!


	2. Some Time Later

Happily Ever After

Some Years Later

Tambi Baker and Casey Bullocks-Baker were the first to arrive at the club, the two blonde haired women arriving at Arisugawa's Locket early that night. It wasn't eagerness that brought them there, thought it was certain Casey was eager, but instead Tambi's usual wariness.

"You know this place has a reputation for the safety of it's customers," Casey said to her wife with some amusement as she and Tambi circled the room, her lover sweeping the place with her eyes for any kind of trap. There was a bar at one end, dining tables, a small dance floor and a kareoke stage. And oddly, a small library ff to one side.

Tambi let her usual set of sunglasses slide down as the slightly taller woman said to her, "Maybe, but I am not taking chances."

Casey smiled back slightly as they wove through the chattering crowds, "No, I guess not. You wouldn't be the woman I fell in love with if you weren't concerned."

Tambi actually blushed a bit at that comment, still not used to hearing Casey say things like that. After a few more minutes of searching the club she finally felt satisfied that there weren't any assassins, kidnappers and other villains about, and they made their way up to the bar.

"Hi," after finishing with one customer the black haired girl in the maid's outfit hurried over to serve them, "my name's Mahoro, what can I get you?"

"Beer," Tambi said with a slight smile.

"Surprise me," Casey said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. The bartender had a almost irresistible energy about her, kind of reminded her of herself.

"Coming right up," Mahoro took off, her long black ponytail swinging cutely.

Once she delivered their drinks Tambi asked her, "We've got a room reserved for a party tonight, who would I see...?"

"That'd be May," Mahoro said cheerfully. Flagging down a green haired young woman carrying a empty tray she said, "Alpha, can you go upstairs and get May?"

"Hai," Alpha responded, the smaller woman smiling cheerfully as she hurried off.

A few minutes later a tall, brown haired woman dressed, yet again, in a variation of a maid's outfit came down the stairs to smile at them. "Welcome to Arisugawa's Locket," she said, "I'm the assistant manager, May." She waved for them to follow her as she said, "Let me show you the room we've set up for you."

May quickly led them towards the rear of the building, where a door opened up into a large back room with a very clean table, multiple chairs and nicely decorated walls, giving it a comfortable but private feel.

"Oooh, nice," Casey smiled. She grinned, "We'll probably need pitchers of beer before the night is through, and iced tea for Katchoo..."

May chuckled, "I'll have waitresses coming in and out regularly once your guests start arriving, we'll run you a tab."

"Good enough," Tambi nodded thoughtfully, "what about music?"

"We'll pipe some in," May agreed before adding, "and we can set up a portable karaoke machine in here too."

"Kareoke?" Casey exclaimed happily.

"Uh oh," Tambi sighed softly, already feeling sure she was going to be pressed into singing later that night. Oh well, the things you did for love...

Outside the bar two women made their way to the door, the taller woman chuckling softly. "You remember the first time you hauled me in here?" Francine Peters asked, smiling as her dress swirled around her legs.

"Heh," Katchoo Choovanski smiled, the smaller blonde dressed in jeans and t-shirt as she commented, "you were scared spitless."

"I was sure," Francine nodded politely to the redhead who was doing bouncer duty by the front door, "that one of those scary lesbians was going to drag me off into a bathroom and have their wicked way with me."

"Is that why you stuck so close to me that night?" Katchoo chuckled softly as she added impishly, "I'm hurt."

"Welcome back to Arisugawa's Locket," the blonde haired door girl dressed in a one piece body suit smiled, "can I take your coats?"

"No thanks, Excel," Katchoo answered cheerfully. "Have Tambi or Casey arrived?"

"They're in the back with another of your guests," Excel confirmed.

"Wonder who got here first?" Francine asked a bit distractedly as they wove their way through the busy bar.

Katchoo gave Francine a gentle punch in the shoulder as she said, "Stop worrying about the kids, love."

Francine blushed a bit at how easily her lover could read her then asked, "But what if my parents have a problem?"

Katchoo reached over to hug Francine comfortingly. "Your parents raised a fine daughter, and I'm sure they can cope with two babies for a night..." she said.

Francine sighed. "You're right," she conceded the point, "it just feels odd being away from them for the first time."

Katchoo chuckled softly as she noticed the many admiring glances Francine was getting, all of which she seemed entirely unaware of. "Your parents love the kids," she chuckled, "I'm pretty sure this gift to us isn't a hardship on their parts, either."

"Heh," Francine smile, feeling a flash of annoyance at the lusty looks Katchoo was getting, but she was comforted knowing how strong her commitment to them was.

"Here we go..." Katchoo opened the door in the back letting out the sounds of laughter and loud conversation.

Margie looked up, her brown hair still boyishly short, and though a few years had added some lines to her face she still looked good. "Hey!" she exclaimed, bouncing up to give both women hugs, "Good to see you."

"Been a long time," Francine chuckled, remembering Freddie's old secretary fondly.

"Hell yes," Margie agreed, "just been catching up with Casey about the douche-bag."

"Freddie?" Katchoo laughed.

"Freddie," Margie agreed.

"I still can not believe you're the executive secretary of the firm he works for," Casey said after exchanging welcoming hugs with Katchoo and Francine.

"He's a dirt bag," Margie shrugged as she said, "but he's a predictable dirt bag. As long as you keep an eye on him, you're okay."

Meanwhile, out at the bar a slim black haired woman in casual clothes ordered a drink. Ryouko, the light blue haired bartender refilled her glass, "You going to join the others?"

Sara Fitz smiled a little sadly as she took a drink, "It wouldn't be appropriate."

"Why not?" Ryouko asked as she took a cloth and wiped down the bar. "I thought you and Katchoo were friends?"

"Were being the opperative word," Sara said as she took a drink. She sighed, "It's quite possible Katchoo doesn't hold a grudge, but I feel bad for my helping bust her."

"You were just doing your job," Ryouko offered.

"Yeah, true," Sara agreed as a dignified looking blonde woman cut through the crowd. 'What is it and blondes tonight?' Sara thought wryly.

Tambi had been reluctantly forced into karaoke, and to everyone's surprise she was carrying off the Griffin Silver tune pretty well. "When I wake up at night, Remembering my other life I scream. But every dawning day the faith in me beyond my reach more distant fades. My eyes are gallows and my heart's a nervous wreck My cries are fondled by the hangman's deadly kiss Oh believe me, I'm running out of time..."

"Next time, I choose your song," Casey murmured as she kissed Tambi on the cheek. Tears shone in her eyes. "Nice, though."

"Thanks," Tambi agreed as she exchanged a long look with Katchoo, both of them remembering shared history together.

The door opened after a fast knock and two familiar figures strode inside, one grinning sheepishly. "Hey boss," Cherry Hammer waved as she entered.

"Hello everyone," Carolyn smiled, Katchoo's agent grinning slightly as she strode to the table. "May I?" she asked Margie as she grabbed the seat beside her.

"Be my guest," Margie purred, a speculative look in her eye.

"I remember when she used to get that look around you," Francine bent over to whisper in Katchoo's ear.

"I still think you were over reacting to that," Katchoo whispered back.

"Wanna bet?" Francine chuckled.

"Is that what I think it is?" Cherry asked, her grin nearly frightening.

"Brace yourselves for Elvis' greatest hits." Tambi sighed.

Cherry stuck her tongue out then grinned as the music began, "A little less conversation, a little more action please, All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me, A little more bite and a little less bark. A little less fight and a little more spark. Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me Satisfy me baby."

"Not bad," Casey cheered. She looked around, "Francine, take a turn."

"Oh no..." Francine quickly said.

Katchoo reached out to squeeze her shoulder gently. When Francine turned to look at her she smiled, "Please?"

Francine blushed, reluctantly stepping up to sing. Scrolling through the list she smiled and chose a selection, then began, "You could say I lost my faith in science and progress. You could say I lost my belief in the holy church. You could say I lost my sense of direction. You could say all of this and worse but..." Francine smiled tenderly at Katchoo, "If I ever lose my faith in you, There'd be nothing left for me to do..."

To be continued...

The Staff from Arisugawa's Locket are: May from Hand Maid May, Mahoro is from Mahoromantic, Ryouko is from Tenchi Muyo, Excel is from Excel Saga, and finally Alpha is from Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou.

Notes: The song Tambi sings is from the SIP comic itself, by Terry Moore. This was originally a chapter of my crossover Arisugawa's Locket, but has been edited and revised slightly. The idea is that it's a unofficial reunion of the SIP characters possibly a year or so after the end of the series.


End file.
